Connect with us

Education

Branding, Marketing & Communication in Education Sector MISS OUT AND BE LEFT OUT!

Marketing and branding of educational institutes should reflect their ability to change people’s lives and the world, says ANUSHKA YADAV.

Published

on

We tend to believe that branding, marketing and communication are important factors in any field until we put them in the education context. While branding can be dated back to 1100 BC, school branding is a relatively new concept that surfaced in the early 1800s. Today, parents and children are the customers while other schools stand as competitors in the business-like market. Gone are the days when parents had a handful of schools to select from; today, they want their kids to go to schools that have the best of everything. But how do they get to know that they are getting the absolute best of education? This is where an institution’s strong brand identity comes in. To become the best, schools need to develop and market their brand which makes them stand out in the race of vying for students and, in some cases, funding.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

It is time that we, as educational institutions, ask relevant questions… Do we have a strong and recognisable brand? Does our institution have a reputation that generates positive emotional response? While considering such questions, it is imperative that we evaluate the value and unique selling propositions of the institution as well as what negates and drives the customer.

However, the key to branding and marketing of educational institutions lies in remembering that education is a powerful tool. Your brand communicates to and with your audience. They deserve to know the vision behind your institution reflecting through the brand identity. It promises what the student experience will be like.

Here comes the question, whether major institutions with a deeply ingrained brand need marketing. Of course, they do. Just like the infrastructure of any school needs renovation, their brands need renovation and touch up with the changing times.

Advertisement

Today, school branding is about finding the institution’s unique competitive advantage. However, many schools struggle as they develop their own communications department that often ends up delivering messy messages. Effective message delivering requires the entire faculty along with leadership to commit as one voice to the brand promise. Proper branding, marketing and communication helps students to decide whether the school is a potential match to their requirements. Without branding, the same institutions tend to suffer and get lost amongst typically similar schools.

Adding to the point, Dr Swati Popat Vats, President, Podar Education Network, and Early Childhood Association India, maintained, “There are two types of Indian schools, one that spends only on branding and marketing at the cost of teacher salaries and quality curriculums and focuses on advertising about large spaces, air-conditioned rooms, extracurricular activities, senseless technology integrations that look nice but have no pedagogical impacts. And the other are those that are doing great work with children, have a superb curriculum, pay their teachers well but are unable to reach out to parents because their advertisements and marketing do not focus on these things.”

With a similar point of view, Devidutta Kanungo, Vice President – Education, People Combine, shared, “Schools are not defined by just the classrooms and the playgrounds. More and more, schools today are learning communities which reflect the value systems, priorities and convictions of the educators, leaders, students and the parents who come together to form it. And these value systems vary largely from school to school. Therefore, in today’s world, where there are so many schools competing for attention, it is absolutely critical for schools to develop a strong brand image which clearly reflects the school’s value system as it will not only enable it to reach the right set of parents with whom its value proposition will resonate, but also to the right teachers who will become part of the school because they trust and believe what the school stands for and in turn, they will make the school’s brand and value proposition stronger. Today, a school without a clear brand identity and a clear and eloquent plan to reach out to the segment it aspires to cater to, will very quickly get lost in the cacophony of social media noise.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

In a world where information is readily available on just a click, parents and students tend to search for the best institutes on the internet. Dr Swati firmly believes, “Education is the birth-right of every child. Quality education on the other hand is something that every child needs but does not get. Some schools deliver quality education and some don’t and this is where parents need to know which schools to choose for their children so that they are assured that their child will get an education and not just be literate.”

The world wide web and social media have been major marketing development of the last decade. From adding SEO content on your website to showcasing your campus and available facilities through social media platforms, everything makes a difference! It is the perfect way to blossom an open persona and present your school as a place that is open to criticism, scrutiny, transparency and easy communication. Nonetheless, schools often tend to fall in the trap of branding through mere websites, brochures and even tours. However, brand development is the key ingredient that is often missing. Brand development is possible only when branding missteps are avoided, and how do you cross these hurdles? Showcase your brand in education magazines and work on your brand development through advertising companies such as Mad About Ed, which would help you achieve the right student demographics by creating a brand that stands out in a crowded market.

Advertisement

KEY BRANDING ELEMENTS

Talking about key ingredients, you might want to know the key elements to school branding…

First and foremost, school branding is nothing without the school name which may include the full or partial or even an acronym that the school is or wants to be popularly known as.

Secondly, it helps to have a visual representation of the school that identifies the school brand through a mascot or logo. Schools may even choose to have an interlocking logo with two or more letter interlocking to form an alternative logo or identity. An important element that has been given much importance in the recent years includes a trademarked logo with movement. Another important part of this element also includes the school colours that an institution might choose as a form of recognition.

Thirdly, a school’s vision is best represented through a careful selection of words in its motto, catchphrase or tagline. The branding slogan is typically used to create a memorable phrase that summarises the school’s and its pupil’s character; something that unites them. 

“Branding should be about your principles, practices, and pedagogy and not about your mascot or name or how many schools you have. Marketing should be about your impact on the learning skills of children and not about false promises, tall promises about creating geniuses. It’s time to be real about education, it’s time to ditch the frills and froth of false branding and marketing and get real about children, childhood and education. It’s time to talk about the ‘why’ you do the ‘what’ and ‘how’ it is necessary for children. It’s time to be a brand…a brand that stands for trust and market your practices instead of how you ensured that five children stood first! It’s time to use branding, publicity and marketing to talk about the impact your school can bring on all children and not only on the achievers. It’s time to rethink and recalibrate your marketing to be about truth and not false promises.” says Dr Vats.

She also wishes for schools in India to be careful of the concepts of branding and marketing, “Impactful branding should be about advocating parents about the benefit of the curriculum and materials that the school invests in, for their child. Marketing in Indian schools should be about changing traditional mindsets that harm children instead of glorifying ‘material’ additions in schools.

Do not talk about physical assets in your marketing, talk about children…all children.

Avoid making tall promises, talk about the deep impact you have made on children and their education.

The number of years you have been in education or the number of children you have touched or the number of schools you have is not as important as the kind of changes you have brought about in education and how you made each child a winner.

Never spend on branding and marketing at the cost of teacher salaries or curriculum.

Never ever make discounts your selling point… people who discount fees will discount education!

BRANDING AND MARKETING BENEFITS

Amidst a plethora of benefits of branding and marketing in the education sector, here are a few major ones:

It reflects and increases school and student pride.

It builds brand trust and loyalty.

It unifies school sports and clubs to a single identifiable logo or mascot.

It validates the school’s mission and core values; further, establishing the school’s history.

It provides the school with discernible identification and recognition.

It aligns with the school’s internal culture and external reputation.

It establishes authenticity and helps in creating an emotional connect.

Pramod Sharma, Principal, Genesis Global School, believes, “It is necessary to introduce impactful branding and marketing in the education sector because it is the most powerful tool to maximise our impact and influence on all the major stakeholders. While most businesses do this for profit, education sector has a nobler aim of creating futures. Hence, the most fundamental unit of education sector, a school, needs to brand itself as a space in which tomorrow lives. It is also true that without proper marketing, branding and advertising the best of products fail. Having said that, there is more to education sector which goes beyond marketing and branding for the simple reason that while false or hyper branding might take a school to the top initially, the fall will follow soon. In other words, branding and marketing, in order to be impactful needs long and sustained effort and strategic planning keeping in mind the requirements of the larger community which we aim to serve. One has seen countless schools COVER STORY who had a dream start but were soon lost in the mists of time. Which means that a major aspect of impactful branding and marketing is the desire for staying relevant, more so because the scholars we serve today are citizens of tomorrow. One needs to be aware of the latest trends and be ready to take risks instead of basking in the glory of past achievements. While the latter strengthen the brand they will falter if the planning for future gets lost in the triumphs of the past. Branding and marketing must be done keeping in mind the lives affected by it. This will help us in keeping the priorities right thus keeping us motivated to our goal of promising futures.”

Ryan Pinto, CEO, Ryan International Group of Institutions, holds the view that, “India’s education sector needs a new brand and marketing strategy because of several reasons; firstly, the number of players in K12 education has grown exponentially over the past two decades, especially in large cities. Whereas in the past there might have been one or two schools in most neighborhoods, today it is not uncommon to see several. Secondly, by and large new entrants have modelled themselves similar to the existing players, thereby creating commoditisation. There are some differences created through graphic identity, such as lettering and logo, but this is largely superficial. Thirdly, differentiation is mostly in terms of curriculum offered from among SSC, ISC, CBSE, IGCSE and IB, and less so on ‘philosophies of education’ and other variables. Lastly, K12 generally attracts less top-class marketing talent and generally sees less marketing investment than other sectors. There is of course some admissions support communication, but very little genuine brand creation marketing.”

Pinto believes there are four thrusts that hold a school in good stead: 1. Investing in genuine holistic marketing at a brand level 2. Responding to stakeholder needs at a school level 3. Securing the best practices of the past while exploring innovation 4. Updating products and services with the times

It is an established fact that education is a big business in today’s world; if schools expect parents and students to spend big bucks on tuition, it is a necessity for them to have a strong, appealing and worthy brand with effective marketing through bona fide communication.

“Should education be a business and spend on Branding and Marketing? Well, yes education should be a business, because business is not a bad word. People who really ‘mind their business’ know that one cannot ‘play’ around with quality; business is all about good practices and keeping the customer happy! And this is what Indian private schools should do, keep the child and parent happy by ensuring that the parent is educated about what is right for their child and by investing in the right materials to ensure that children get the right education that is developmentally appropriate and meaningful for life.” concludes Dr Vats.

Thus, the key to marketing and branding educational institutes is to target and showcase everything you do; education is a powerful tool that has the ability to change people’s lives and the world, and your marketing should reflect that with crystal clarity.

Education

“We Sleep on Walls Here”: Shubhanshu Shukla Talks to Indian Students from Space

Published

on

Shubhanshu Shukla interacts with students live from the International Space Station as part of ISRO’s Vidyarthi Samvad initiative.

Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, currently stationed aboard the International Space Station (ISS), answered questions from schoolchildren during a live interaction hosted under ISRO’s Vidyarthi Samvad Program.

The session, designed to bring students closer to the realities of space science, turned into a heartwarming and humorous conversation about food, sleep, and the sheer wonder of viewing Earth from space.

When asked how astronauts sleep in zero gravity, Shukla smiled and explained: “There is no floor or ceiling in space. Some of us sleep on the wall, some on the ceiling. We have to tie ourselves down so we don’t float away while sleeping.”

The conversation became sweeter when Shukla revealed that he brought familiar Indian flavours with him into orbit. “I have carried gajar ka halwa, moong dal halwa, and mango juice with me from India,” he said, to the delight of the young audience. He clarified that the halwa was specially medicated for space missions, not made at home — a detail that sparked laughter and curiosity alike.

The astronaut also spoke about daily life aboard the ISS, including how exercise is essential to counter microgravity. “We ride bicycles here, but there are no seats. We strap ourselves in with belts,” he told the children, who were both fascinated and amused by the image.

For Shukla, however, the highlight of being in space remains the view of Earth. “That blue sphere, that light mist… seeing Earth from here is the most beautiful experience. It’s hard to describe in words.”

Advertisement

Addressing mental well-being, he shared how astronauts stay connected with their families. “Technology helps bridge the distance. We can talk to our loved ones, and that keeps us grounded — even when we’re not.”

Also present during the interaction was Group Captain Angad Pratap, a fellow member of the Gaganyaan mission crew, who encouraged students to consider careers in aviation and space science.

For many students, the session was a dream come true. “It felt like science fiction,” said one participant. “Now I believe I can go to space one day.”

As India continues its rapid progress in space exploration, conversations like these serve as reminders that inspiration is as critical as infrastructure — and that sometimes, a simple chat with an astronaut can launch the imagination of an entire generation.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Education

A Structural Proposal to Transform School Education in Bihar

Published

on

Political strategist Prashant Kishor speaking at an event (Source: EducationPost)

In a recent public interaction, political campaigner and policy strategist Prashant Kishor detailed a long-term education plan aimed at overhauling Bihar’s school system. Emphasizing structural change over symbolic efforts, Kishor’s proposal focuses on centralized excellence, increased parental choice, and a phased financial roadmap over a 10-year period.

At the heart of the model lies a shift from quantity to quality. Rather than building one school in every village, the plan envisions five world-class government schools per administrative block, inspired by the legacy of the prestigious Netarhat Vidyalaya. These institutions would be open to students from all socioeconomic backgrounds, with Kishor stating that school buses and transport access would ensure that no child travels more than 20 minutes to reach school.

For families dissatisfied with local government schools, the model introduces an alternative: state-funded access to private education. If a student opts for a regulated private school nearby, the government would bear the cost. According to Kishor, this mirrors global best practices and provides an immediate quality option while public school infrastructure is being upgraded.

Contrary to the common belief that government education is cost-free, Kishor highlighted that Bihar currently spends an average of ₹850 per month per child in public primary schools. In comparison, many private institutions operate at a lower cost. “It’s not about public versus private. It’s about outcomes and value,” he stated.

The financing strategy involves a three-part allocation of the current education budget:

Advertisement
  1. Building new elite schools (500 per year; 5,000 in 10 years)

  2. Improving existing government schools

  3. Funding private education for low-income students where needed

The total projected investment over a decade is ₹1 lakh crore.

The proposal has triggered a wider conversation around efficiency, equity, and the future direction of school education in under-resourced states. While it has been shared in a pre-election context, the structural detail and comparative lens make it notable for educationists and policymakers nationwide.

As the national education landscape continues to evolve post-NEP 2020, Bihar’s unfolding discourse offers a compelling case study on scalable, outcome-driven reform.

Continue Reading

Education

NIIT Foundation and YuWaah, UNICEF Launch Free Online Digital Marketing Course for Youth

Published

on

Online course aims to train underserved youth in digital marketing across three Indian states.

In a bid to support youth skilling in India, NIIT Foundation and YuWaah (a UNICEF India initiative) have jointly launched an Open Online Course in Digital Marketing as part of their #NayiDigitalDisha campaign.

The initiative has been rolled out in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Odisha and aims to reach 500 participants. The 8-week online program has been structured to be accessible to learners from underserved and remote areas. Upon completion, students will receive a credential assessed by NCVET and certified by NSDC.

The curriculum focuses on practical digital marketing skills including social media strategy, online customer sourcing, and campaign execution. Course development was led by NIIT Foundation, drawing on industry consultation and its prior experience in skill training.

According to the organisers, the goal is to provide industry-aligned learning opportunities to help learners secure employment and enhance their readiness for digital roles. Participants will receive certifications from both NIIT Foundation and YuWaah, UNICEF.

The program’s implementation coincides with India’s broader push towards a skilled workforce, aligning with national goals to build digital and job-readiness capacity by 2047. The digital learning initiative is part of a larger ecosystem supported by YuWaah that includes career guidance, leadership opportunities, and pathways to socio-economic participation for young people.

Advertisement

Earlier success stories, such as a student securing job placements after course completion, indicate emerging results; however, the course’s full impact is yet to be assessed as it progresses through its first implementation cycle.

Continue Reading

Education

National Conference Pushes for Common Standards Across School Boards

Published

on

DoSE&L convenes education leaders in Delhi to advance board equivalence and learning reforms under NEP 2020.

In a move set to impact India’s school education ecosystem, the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education, convened a high-level National Conference on Curricular and Assessment Equivalence of Boards and Improving Learning Outcomes at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi.

With over 250 senior officials from education departments, boards, SCERTs, and autonomous bodies like CBSE, KVS, and NVS, the conference reflected a coordinated push to align learning outcomes and assessment standards across India’s diverse schooling systems.

Chaired by DoSE&L Secretary Sanjay Kumar, the sessions explored how India can move toward competency-based education while ensuring fairness and flexibility for States/UTs. He emphasised that equivalence in curriculum and assessments is essential as India modernises its academic benchmarks in line with NEP 2020.

A key highlight was the launch of the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan Dissemination Portal, giving open access to national and state-wise data on student performance. The tool is designed to help States/UTs craft targeted improvement plans.
Prof. Indrani Bhaduri, CEO of PARAKH, also unveiled the findings from the 2024 National Survey, highlighting district-wise variations and prompting calls for data-driven, localised reform.

Best practices from six States/UTs — including Kerala, Punjab, UP, and Maharashtra — offered a practical lens on how systemic innovations can drive classroom-level change.

Advertisement

The conference also delved into board equivalence frameworks, with seven State Boards — including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Goa, and J&K — presenting models for alignment of curricula, assessments, and evaluation standards.

CBSE Chairperson Rahul Singh spoke on school quality assurance, urging emphasis on self-evaluation and data transparency.
The conference spotlighted the School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF) and called for the establishment of State School Standards Authorities (SSSA) in every State/UT.

Further, the session on vocational education equivalence underscored the importance of recognising school boards as vocational awarding bodies — a step towards seamless academic–skill integration and lifelong learning.

Ready Reckoner videos, Holistic Progress Cards (HPCs), and tools for continuous, child-centric evaluation were also introduced, aimed at embedding NEP’s vision in day-to-day school practice.

The event concluded with a collective reaffirmation: building an equitable, high-quality education system will require collaborative governance and commitment to learning for all.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Education

Maharashtra: Over 8,000 Villages Lack Schools, CCTV Compliance Still Patchy

Published

on

Thousands of Maharashtra villages still lack schools or CCTV, despite legal orders.

More than 8,600 villages in Maharashtra remain without a single school, according to a recent report by the state’s Women and Child Development Department.

The gap isn’t just in classrooms. Nearly half of all government schools in the state have failed to install CCTV cameras, despite a Bombay High Court directive issued over a year ago mandating the move for student safety.

The numbers come from an internal state government communication that has now surfaced publicly, raising concerns about Maharashtra’s compliance with both the Right to Education (RTE) Act and judicial orders.

While urban education garners attention with smart classrooms and NEP pilot projects, rural Maharashtra still contends with the fundamentals: no schools, no surveillance, and often, no real learning environment.

The CCTV issue, though seemingly minor, ties directly to concerns about student safety and teacher accountability, especially in government-run schools where complaints often go unaddressed. The High Court directive had explicitly asked for CCTV cameras to be installed in all government school premises. Yet, as per the report, only 53% of schools have complied so far.

Advertisement

Educationists and civil society groups have pointed out that the absence of schools in over 8,000 villages violates the RTE Act’s basic requirement of ensuring a primary school within a 1-km radius of every habitation. These gaps disproportionately affect students from marginalized communities who lack access to private schooling options or reliable transportation.

While the state has announced new digital initiatives and curriculum reforms, this data signals the urgent need for parallel investment in basic school infrastructure and safety mechanisms, especially in rural and tribal regions.

If Maharashtra is serious about achieving educational equity, the solution isn’t just in policy blueprints or digital dashboards — it’s in ensuring that every child has a safe, functional school to go to.

Continue Reading

Education

Haryana to Offer Free After-School Coaching for JEE, NDA Aspirants

Published

on

Haryana to support govt school toppers with free coaching for JEE and NDA

In a push to democratize access to competitive exams, the Haryana government has announced a free after-school coaching initiative for meritorious students in government schools. The scheme will initially roll out in 26 educationally backward blocks, targeting students aspiring to crack entrance exams like JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) and NDA (National Defence Academy).

The move is designed to level the playing field between private and government school students, many of whom lack access to the coaching ecosystem often necessary for success in high-stakes exams.

According to the Education Department, only those students who score above 60% in Class 10 and rank among the top 500 in state-level merit lists will be eligible for the coaching. The classes will be held in selected schools after regular hours.

Officials said that around 100 government school teachers have been identified to undergo training from expert faculty members from IITs and coaching institutions, ensuring quality instruction that mirrors national standards.

The initiative will be implemented in partnership with the national not-for-profit organization, the Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, and aims to align with the broader goals of the NEP 2020 by enabling access, equity, and excellence in education.

Advertisement

By empowering students with structured coaching support—often inaccessible due to financial or geographic barriers—the Haryana government signals its intent to redefine what government schooling can offer in a competitive academic landscape.

Continue Reading

Education

Telangana CM Calls for Overhaul of Intermediate Education in Telangana

Published

on

CM Revanth Reddy calls for targeted reforms to improve Intermediate education outcomes across Telangana.

In a review meeting held at the Command Control Centre, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy instructed education officials to take urgent steps to ensure students who complete Class 10 successfully transition into and complete their Intermediate education.

This directive stems from a persistent gap: while many students clear the Class 10 SSC board exam, a sizable number fail to complete the next academic stage. The CM has asked for a detailed study of the education policy for Classes 9 to 12 to identify where the system is failing and how it can be made more responsive to students’ needs.

Reddy emphasized that Intermediate education is a crucial link in helping students build careers and that adequate career guidance must begin at the college level. He directed officials to work on specific interventions to improve pass percentages in the intermediate board exams.

The review also touched on infrastructure: from proposing that every school fly a national flag to demanding regular updates on the construction progress of Young India Residential Schools. The CM expressed concern over the slow pace of infrastructure projects and instructed officials to accelerate tender processes, especially for the Veeranari Chakali Ilamma Mahila Vishwa Vidyalayam (Women’s University) expansion.

Funding was another key focus, with Revanth asking departments to coordinate with the Centre to ensure that Telangana receives its full share under centrally sponsored schemes.

Advertisement

The policy emphasis is clear: a push for a seamless Class 10 to Intermediate pipeline, improved exam outcomes, stronger infrastructure, and better career preparation for young learners.

Continue Reading

Education

Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to Connect with School Students Live from Space

Published

on

Shubhanshu Shukla, currently aboard the ISS as part of the Axiom-4 mission, will connect with Indian students via ham radio on July 4.

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, currently on a 14-day scientific expedition aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom-4 mission, is scheduled to interact with school students and ISRO engineers on July 4.

The communication will take place via ham radio, through a telebridge set up at the U R Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) in Bengaluru. The session is facilitated by the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) programme, which enables students to engage with astronauts in orbit.

The interaction is scheduled for 3:47 PM IST and will offer participating students an opportunity to ask questions directly to Shukla, who is joined on the mission by three other astronauts.

Shukla has been conducting various scientific experiments during his stay aboard the ISS. These include deploying and imaging space microalgae samples, which are being studied as a potential food source for long-duration missions. He has also participated in the Neuro Motion VR project — involving brain activity tracking through VR tasks in microgravity — and contributed to the Telemetric Health AI study, which uses biometric data and analytics to study cardiovascular and balance changes during spaceflight.

The Axiom-4 mission, organized by Axiom Space, focuses on scientific research in space with potential applications in both space exploration and Earth-based health systems.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Education

UGC Cracks Down on 89 Institutes Over Anti-Ragging Failures

Published

on

University Grants Commission (Image: UGC on X)

In a firm push for accountability, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued show-cause notices to 89 higher education institutions for failing to comply with mandatory anti-ragging regulations. The defaulters include some of India’s most prestigious institutions—17 of which are Institutes of National Importance—including IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Hyderabad, and IIM Bangalore.

These institutions, despite repeated advisories, failed to submit the required anti-ragging undertakings from students and institutional compliance reports. The lapses have been termed a “significant violation of regulatory norms” by the UGC, raising serious concerns over student safety and campus climate in India’s top educational spaces.

A notice dated June 9, signed by UGC Secretary Prof. Manish R Joshi, has directed all 89 institutions to respond within 30 days by submitting comprehensive compliance reports, securing online anti-ragging affidavits from all students, and detailing both current and planned anti-ragging mechanisms.

If the institutions fail to act within the deadline, consequences may include withdrawal of UGC grants, public disclosure of non-compliance status, and potential derecognition or withdrawal of affiliation.

Among the list of defaulters are the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, AIIMS Raebareli, Aligarh Muslim University, RGIPT Basar, and several National Institutes of Design.

Advertisement

The issue becomes even more urgent in light of recent ragging-related incidents and an increasing perception of campus hostility. “Institutions must treat this as a matter of utmost urgency. Your prompt compliance will be essential in upholding institutional responsibility towards student welfare,” reads the UGC’s statement.

Ragging has no place in modern education, especially not in a country positioning itself as a global knowledge leader.

In 2025, with India’s education sector expanding in reach, recognition, and responsibility, compliance with anti-ragging norms shouldn’t require reminders. It should be a given.

As the world watches Indian institutions climb global rankings, student safety and well-being must remain central, not as compliance checkboxes, but as part of the educational culture we aspire to build.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Education

Government Doubles Down on Coaching Centres: New Panel Signals Stronger Regulation Ahead

Published

on

Education Ministry panel to tackle dummy schools and curb overdependence on coaching centres.

In a decisive step toward reforming India’s fragmented senior secondary education system, the Ministry of Education has constituted an 11-member high-level committee to address the mushrooming of dummy schools and the unchecked influence of coaching centres. Chaired by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, the committee includes representatives from CBSE, NCERT, and faculty from IITs in Madras, Kanpur, and Trichy.

The move is seen as part of a growing policy consensus across central and state governments to reclaim the authority of schools, following recent crackdowns and reforms aimed at regulating coaching institutions and curbing the dummy school culture that sidelines holistic education.

Dummy schools — where students are officially enrolled but rarely attend — have emerged as a by-product of India’s competitive entrance exam culture. These institutions prioritise JEE, NEET, and CUET preparation through coaching classes, while students disengage from formal schooling. The CBSE’s March 2025 advisory warning that students from dummy schools could be barred from board exams marked a serious turning point in policy enforcement.

Earlier this year, the Delhi Government carried out inspections in over 600 private schools, issuing notices to at least 10 for running dummy setups. The move followed media reports and parental complaints about students being denied regular schooling in favour of coaching arrangements.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Cabinet approved a bill in April 2025 to regulate coaching centres operating in Kota and other education hubs. The legislation aims to curb exploitative practices, mandate mental health counsellors, and prevent coaching centres from operating without a minimum infrastructure standard—prompted by rising student suicides in the state.

Advertisement

Central Framework and Industry Oversight

In February 2025, the Central Government announced a new framework for coaching centres, proposing registration, transparency in fee structures, and guidelines on advertising to prevent misleading claims. Together with the current committee’s formation, these reforms indicate a systematic tightening of oversight at all levels.

The new panel’s mandate is broad. It will investigate:

  • The socio-academic reasons behind the rise of dummy schools
  • The misalignment between school curricula and competitive exams
  • The impact of coaching on student well-being and critical thinking
  • The need to promote alternate career pathways beyond engineering and medicine
  • Regulations around coaching advertisements and contract practices

A National Rethink on the Purpose of Schooling

Education experts like Dr Ameeta Mulla Wattal have welcomed the initiative, calling it “a vital opportunity to restore the sanctity of school education.” The rise of coaching centres as parallel systems, she noted, has come at the cost of creativity, values, and even mental health in adolescents.

As India contemplates the future of its learners, the Ministry’s recent actions suggest a serious intent to bridge the gap between boardrooms and classrooms. Whether the new committee’s recommendations lead to tangible change remains to be seen, but the signals are clear: education in India must prepare children for life, not just for an entrance exam.

Continue Reading

Newsletter

Advertisement
Education1 day ago

“We Sleep on Walls Here”: Shubhanshu Shukla Talks to Indian Students from Space

Education1 day ago

A Structural Proposal to Transform School Education in Bihar

Education2 days ago

NIIT Foundation and YuWaah, UNICEF Launch Free Online Digital Marketing Course for Youth

Education2 days ago

National Conference Pushes for Common Standards Across School Boards

Education3 days ago

Maharashtra: Over 8,000 Villages Lack Schools, CCTV Compliance Still Patchy

Education3 days ago

Haryana to Offer Free After-School Coaching for JEE, NDA Aspirants

Education3 days ago

Telangana CM Calls for Overhaul of Intermediate Education in Telangana

Education5 days ago

Indian Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla to Connect with School Students Live from Space

News5 days ago

Are 4-Year Degrees Dead? Nikhil Kamath and the WEF Say Lifelong Learning Is Here to Stay

Education6 days ago

UGC Cracks Down on 89 Institutes Over Anti-Ragging Failures

Education1 week ago

Government Doubles Down on Coaching Centres: New Panel Signals Stronger Regulation Ahead

Education1 week ago

CBSE To Conduct Board Exams Twice for Class 10 from 2026

Education2 weeks ago

How to Win Back Wandering Minds: Post-Summer Edition

Education2 weeks ago

Tripura Becomes Third Indian State to Achieve Full Literacy

Education2 weeks ago

Assam Brings Sign Language to Senior Secondary Classrooms in Landmark Move

Education2 weeks ago

Delhi Schools to Implement Age 6 Rule for Class 1 Admissions from 2026

Education2 weeks ago

Tripura Adds Sex Education & HIV Awareness to Their Curriculum

Education2 weeks ago

Four Indian Schools Shine on the Global Stage at World’s Best School Prizes 2024

Education2 weeks ago

Centre Urges 7 States to Consider Common Board Amid Alarming Student Failure Rates

Education2 weeks ago

IIT Delhi Leads India in the QS Rankings 2026; MIT Tops Globally

Education2 weeks ago

Chandigarh, Punjab Lead in School Education Rankings; Meghalaya Trails Behind

Education3 weeks ago

Maharashtra Revises Policy on Third Language in Schools, Hindi No Longer Mandatory

Education3 weeks ago

From Academics to Empathy: Redefining Academic Success

Education3 weeks ago

India Sends 20 Students to Japan Under Sakura Science Programme 2025

Education3 weeks ago

Delhi Schools to Observe June as Anti-Malaria Month, Says DoE

Education3 months ago

Is Your School Following These Mandatory CBSE Committees?

Education2 months ago

CBSE’s ‘Sugar Boards’ Initiative: Tackling the Sweet Crisis in Indian Schools

News3 months ago

CBSE Warns Dummy School Students May Be Barred from Board Exams

Education2 months ago

Maharashtra to Regulate Pre-Primary Education with New Law Aligned to NEP 2020

Education3 months ago

MAHAJYOTI’s Book Distribution Scheme to Empower 7,000 OBC Students Preparing for JEE/NEET & MHT-CET

Education3 months ago

China Embarks on Ambitious AI-Driven Education Reform to Build a ‘Strong Education Nation’ by 2035

Education2 months ago

John King’s Book ‘Teacher By Teacher’: A Global Tribute to the Transformative Power of Education

Education3 months ago

CBSE Introduces Mandatory Bridge Course for Classes 6 to 12 in Chhattisgarh Under NEP 2020

Education3 months ago

Rewriting Ambedkar: Why Students Must Know the Man Beyond the Constitution

Education3 months ago

CBSE Mandates 50-Hour Annual Training for Teachers, Declares STEM as 2025 Theme

Education2 months ago

India Bids Farewell to NEP Architect Dr K. Kasturirangan

Education1 month ago

Banu Mushtaq’s International Booker Win Is a Wake-Up Call for Indian Schools to Reclaim Literature

Education2 months ago

Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2025: Nominations Now Open for India’s Young Achievers

Education2 months ago

NCERT Class 7 Textbooks Updated: Mughals Removed, Focus on Indian Ethos and Pilgrimage

Education3 months ago

Delhi Government Cracks Down on Dummy Schooling; Over 600 Schools Inspected, 10 Issued Notices

Education2 months ago

Delhi Approves Landmark Bill to Regulate School Fees Across 1,677 Institutions

Education3 months ago

The Ethics of AI Art in Education & Nostalgia: The Ghibli Effect

Education2 months ago

Operation Sindoor and Operation Abhyaas: Navigating School Safety and Student Well-being Amid Rising Tensions

Education3 months ago

Harvard Stands Its Ground: Harvard Faces ₹18,400 Crore Funding Freeze After Rejecting Trump Administration’s Demands

Education3 months ago

CBSE Revises Class 10, 12 Curriculum: Biannual Exams, New Subjects and Flexible Passing Criteria Introduced

Education2 months ago

CUET-UG 2025 Likely to be Postponed, Fresh Dates Expected Soon

Education2 months ago

Aalamaram 2025: Where Indian Educators Came Together to Grow, Reflect, and Lead

Education2 months ago

Trump Signs Executive Order to Promote AI Integration in U.S. K-12 Education

Education2 months ago

Mizoram Declared First Fully Literate State in India

Education2 months ago

Indian Students Flock to Singapore, Ireland, and Dubai for Higher Studies: 38% Surge Recorded

Education2 years ago

SGEF2023 | Special Address by Rama Datt, Trustee, Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Trust, Jaipur

Education2 years ago

ScooNews | After Movie | ScooNews Global Educators Fest 2023

Knowledge2 years ago

Aftermovie | NIES2 UP Chapter | 21 Jan 2023

Knowledge3 years ago

WEBINAR | Gamification in Education: How Digital Badges Can Boost Student Motivation and Engagement

Knowledge3 years ago

ScooNews | WEBINAR| Importance of Physical Activity for Children at School | Plaeto

Knowledge3 years ago

SCOONEWS | WEBINAR | WHY DIGITIZING YOUR SCHOOL IS A MUST | TEACHMINT

Knowledge3 years ago

Keynote Address | Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar

Knowledge3 years ago

Anurag Tripathi, Secretary, CBSE at SGEF2022

Inspiration3 years ago

How schools can nurture every student’s genius

Knowledge3 years ago

Aftermovie | SGEF2022 | Jaipur

Knowledge3 years ago

Li Andersson | Minister of Education | Finland

Knowledge3 years ago

Anurag Tripathi, Secretary, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) discusses NEP2020

Knowledge6 years ago

ScooNews | Early Ed Asia 2019 | Aftermovie

News7 years ago

#PodarECEconf : Pursuing quality ECE

News7 years ago

#CBSE Class XII #Results #Highlights

Education8 years ago

The interesting story of India’s educational system | Adhitya Iyer

Inspiration8 years ago

A young scientist’s quest for clean water

Inspiration8 years ago

The Danger of Silence: Clint Smith

Knowledge8 years ago

National Digital Library of India is an initiative by HRD Ministry

Inspiration8 years ago

Remembering Kalpana Chawla on her birthday!

Inspiration8 years ago

Message from Sadhguru for Students!

Inspiration8 years ago

Message from Sadhguru for Students!

Inspiration8 years ago

The Untapped Genius That Could Change Science for the Better

Education9 years ago

Eddy Zhong: How school makes kids less intelligent TEDxYouth@Beacon

Education9 years ago

#TEDxCanberra : What if every child had access to music education…

Trending